I’ve been having a look at Chrome OS Flex and it seems like an option for computers that are not capable of running Win 11 (Windows 10 support ending next Oct.)
Are there privacy issues around using Flex ?
Not sure why would anyone choose ChromeOS Flex over a sane Linux distribution.
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ChromeOS is basically android. You can only use PWAs and .apk apps. It is more secure than other PC OSes, but it’s redundant if you use the more secure GrapheneOS. You can use a hardened GNU/Linux or maybe a hardened Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC (Although I’m not sure if Microsoft back port all the security updates, or if it’s like Apple No new iPhone? No secure iOS: Looking at an unfixed iOS vulnerability | Joshua.Hu | Joshua Rogers' Scribbles)
ChromeOS Flex isn’t as secure as built-in ChromeOS, though.
I should mention that if your PC doesn’t support Windows 11, then it probably? lacks firmware updates, and it has no basic hardware security features. You should ideally upgrade your setup, but the previous recommendations are only harm reduction.
ChromeOS Flex lacks full verified boot, but that’s basically every PC except chromebooks and some macs. You can use it with secure boot as a better than nothing measure. I still don’t see why anyone use it, unless if they don’t like to use a phone for internet browsing, but I’d personally air gap this PC and use it for storage, or maybe connect it to the internet if it has no personal files or photos and never use it to sign in to accounts (also cover the camera and microphone)
You need google account to use ChromeOS… That is an answer. Also, while it feels lightweight, I would say common Linux distro works faster on same machine. It has some advantages being cloud baed and very easy to use, but with more advanced requirements it won’t be good choice.
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Yes , that is the part that concerns me from a privacy point of view. On the other hand , Flex is being targeted to businesses (and the blurb uses some use case examples) and I can’t imagine businesses adopting a privacy unfriendly option. I’m wondering if the device management options available might mitigate some issues.
Just use linux 
lol what? They do this nearly exclusively.
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Do you really think that the organisations quoted in the Flex use case examples would compromise their own privacy by using packages from Google that are privacy invasive especially organisations who are bound by GDPR rules ?
Yes
It would be much better to go for any the linux based OS discussed in the PG over chromeOS Flex. I would have given it a thought if it support verified boot but its nowhere mentioned in chromeOS Flex and dont confuse them with chromebooks that comes with chromeOS that should support the safety of verified boot.
Personally, I use windows 10 LTSC IoT enterprise in my T470(No win 11 support).
Please dont confuse chromeOS Flex with ChromeOS. The latter comes with only chromebooks that benefits the full security features.
I did acknowledge that here ChromeOS Flex - #5 by anonbird
Well there is the Linux dev environment to use Linux apps. Also, maybe I am wrong but ChromeOS only ran Play Store apps, not random .apks, right?
(also eitherways ChromeOS Flex doesn’t have either of those)
You can run APKs, but it’s uncomfortable and requires a wipe or ADB: https://www.xda-developers.com/how-sideload-apps-chromebook/
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The linux dev environment is basically a VM, no? I believe android also supports linux VMs. Might be not as usable, but I wouldn’t buy a chromebook just to run a linux VM, just use a hardened linux distro at this point.
ChromeOS flex seems to support linux dev environment https://www.linux.org/threads/linux-on-chrome-os-flex.42142/, so you can use it to run android apps indirectly through the linux environment. Not sure how well it’ll work though.
Another difference is that chromeOS flex runs on the x86-64 architecture, while chromeOS supports ARM and x86-64 chromebooks.